Wrongfully convicted linebacker coming off trip to Seahawks, one of 5 teams interested

The team will try out the recently exonerated linebacker, sources said Thursday, hours after Banks completed his first NFL tryout in Seattle.

Banks is expected to return to the Seahawks for their minicamp next week in what is essentially an extended tryout. If unsigned, he’ll likely work out with others afterward.

Aside from Seattle, the Chargers are one of five teams to have expressed interest in a tryout, sources said. Banks could travel from San Diego to try out with one of them before reporting to Seattle’s camp on Monday, they said.

“I feel more appreciative for the opportunity than I feel deserving,” Banks said to reporters Thursday in Seattle. “I’m honored to have all of these people — all these coaches and different teams — give me this opportunity, not even seeing me play in so long.

The former Long Beach Poly High star prospect doesn’t have a life story.

He has a script.

His football career was derailed when, as a 17-year-old USC recruit, he was wrongfully convicted of rape and kidnapping. Beginning in 2002, he served five years of a six-year prison sentence before being released on parole as a sex offender.

The California Innocence Project (CIP), a clinical program based in San Diego that works to free wrongfully convicted inmates, took on his case more than a year ago.

Banks, 26, was exonerated in court last month.

Justin Brooks, Banks’ attorney at CIP, said in May that a tryout with the Chargers would be a “dream come true.”

“Brian’s got that political answer: ‘I’m for whoever is willing to give me a chance,’ ” Brooks said last month. “But I know the people that (helped him) are all Chargers fans. We’re actually pretty fanatical in this office about the Chargers. The only thing we get as depressed about is the cases we lose.

“Four people in our office are season-ticket holders,” Brooks added. “We basically have a debrief every Monday morning during football season about the Chargers. I recently went and did a tour of the locker room. As a season-ticket holder, I was invited over there, so we’re way into the Chargers.”